Strand-twisting apparatus



Sept. 18, 1928. 1,684,511

T. E. ODONNELL STRAND 'IIWISTING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 27, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet l I :1 I 51?. i 1+ J y l n I I I 1', "f 50 1 b 43 Wye/War 7/70/77d5f0fi0/7/76/ Sept. 18; 1923.

T. E. ODONNELL STRAND TWISTING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 27, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet Sept. 18, 1928. 1,684,511

T. E. O DQNNELL STRAND TWISTING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 27, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Sept. 18, 1928.

UNITED STATES IPA raNr' OFF.ICE.,

THOMAS EDWARD YORK.

STRAND-TWISTING APPARATUS.

OIZJONNELL, or mvnnsxnn, ILLINOIS, assumes, no WESTERN me. rare comramr, mconronarnn, orunw (YORK, N. Y., a CORPORATION Application flled January 27, 1926. Serial No. 83,993.,

This invention relates to strand twisting apparatus, and its primary object is the provision in a strand twistingapparatus of improved mechanism whereby the tension on the strand during the twisting operation is reduced to a minimum.

Improved apparatus embodying the present invention is particularly well adapted for use in a strand'twisting apparatus of the type fully illustrated and described in a copending application of .G." A. Bouvrer, Serial No. 80709,'filed Jan, 12, 1926, which apparatus produces a flexible electrical conductor by twisting a plurality of tinsel served threads around a. cotton core.

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a cotton core and a plurality of tinsel served threads are drawn through a twisting mechanism by a capstan which advances the twisted strand through a v tubular flier arm, which arm .carries the strand around an axis of rotation coinciding with that of the twisting mechanism. The twisted strand is withdrawn from the flier arm by a second capstan which is driven at a surface speed slightly less than the surface speedbf the first capstan, thereby minimizing the amount oftension on the strand-durin the twisting operation.

{)ther objects andfeatures of the invention willbecome apparent in the'following detailed description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is aside elevation of ap apparatus embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section of the upper portion of the apparatus shown inFig.1; I

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section of the lower. portion thereof;

Fig; 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view showing the lower capstan and theassociated take-up-mechanism, and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectiontaken on the line 5+5 of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawings in detail and particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 thereof, the improved apparatus is mounted in and upon a frame which comprises a base plate member 20, a vertical wall 21, and a top plate member 22. Rotatably journaled in suitable bearings formed in the frame members 20 and 22 is a vertically disposed shaft 23 are keyed to vertically '38 and 39, respectively,

heads 41 and spider-like member 49' or mew (Figs. 1 an 2 which is driven by an electric of suitable. gearing ingear 26 is secured to the.-

34 and 35, respectively, the gears 34 and 35 being meshed with gears 36 and 37, respectively, (Figs. 2 and'3) The gears 36 and 37 disposed trunnions which are disposed in axial alignment and which carry heads 41 and 42, respectively, of a flier 43, the flier 42 being interconnected by a pair of tubular arms 44 and 45. 1

Disposed intermediate the flier heads 41 and 42 is a yoke 46 (Fig. 1) which is held stationary during the rotation-of the flier 43 by means of. suitable planetary gearing (not shown).. For a detailed illustration and description of a planetary gearing Iconstruction which is particularly suitable for use with the present embodiment of',the invention, reference is made to the above men tioned ,copending application. The details of this construction have been omitted from the present application for the sake of simplicitysince a full disclosure thereof is not essential to a complete understanding of the present invention.

Rotatably journaled upon a tion 48 (Fig. 2)-of the frame member 52 is a carrying a plurality of supply reels (Fig. 1), one of which is adapted to hold a supplyof cotton core while the remaining supply reels .are adapted to hold supplies of tinsel served threads. supply reel which holds the cotton core is identical in construction with the several tubular por-' The supply reels which hold the tinsel served threads, but for the purpose of this explanation itis identified by the reference character 53, the other supply reels being identified by the reference character 54. Aligned with the cotton supplyingneel 53 is a sheave 55 mounted upon a bracket 56 carried by the member 49. Associated with' each of the mounted at the free end of a lever 59 pivot;

' ally carriedjby the member 49. Since allot I with a thereto 'is a ca the strand tensionin devices are similar in construction, it is ,tiought that a-illustration of one of them tion of the supply reel mountings and the strand tensioning devices, reference 1S made to the above mentioned copendmgapplication.

Seated in the upper end of the tubular portion .48 is a plate 60 having an aperture 61, the axis of which .is coincident with the axis of the trunnion 38 (Fig. 2). The plate 60 is also provided with six apertures 62 which are equi-distantly spaced from the aperture 61and from each other. In the operation of the apparatus, the cotton core is passed throu h the aperture 61 and the tinsel served threa s are passed through the apertures 62.

Keyed to the trunnion 38 is a gear 64 meshlng with a gear 65 rotatablyjournaled on a shaft 66 which is rigidly secured within the frame (Fig. 2). Constrained to ro tate with the gear 65 is a gear 68 meshing with a gear 69 which is formed integrally with a tubular member 7 O rotatably mounted upon a tubular extension 71 of the trunnion 38. The ratio between the gears 69 and 68 is such that the tubular member makes two revolutions for each revolution of the flier 43. Rotatably 'ournaled upon the tubular member 70 isa sleeve 73 having a capstan 74 formed integrally therewith. A gear 7 5- formed integrally with the sleeve 73 meshes tate wit the gear 68, the gears 75 and 76 being'so prcportioned that the capstan 74 rotates at a speed which isless than that or the tubular member 70 but greater than that of the flier 43. The purpose of this construction will presently appear.

Rigidly "secured within the tubular member 70 and disposed concentrically therewith is a tube 78, one end of which projects downwardly into a bore 79 formed in'the trunnion 38 (Fig, 2). Seated upon the upper end of the tubular member70 and rigidly secured I or twisting member 80 which carries sieavcs 81, 82, 83 and 84 aligned with grooved rollers 85, 86, 87 and 88, respective the grooved rollers 85, 86, 87 and 88 being angu arly disposed with respect to the capstan 74 and being carried by the member 80. The grooved rollers 85 and 87 are aligned with the upper portion of the capstan 74 and are adapted to deliver the twisted strand thereto, whereas the grooved rollers 86 and 88 are aligned with the lower portion of the capstan 74 and are adapted to receive the twisted strand as it leaves the capstan. Although-four sheaves and four (Fig. 1) 'is sufiicient. For a more detailed disclosure and descrip-m ear 76 which is, constrained to ro-' grooved rollers are shown (Fi 5),' funcrovided to dynamically balance the memer 80.

Interconnecting the tubular arm 44 and the lower end of the tube 78 is a helical spring 90. The construction issuch that the rollers, as for instance the sheaves 81 and 82 and the grooved rollers 85 and 86, the sheaves 83 and 84, the grooved rollers 87 and 88 being spring 90 makes one revolution around its longitudinal axis for each revolution of the tube 78.

Rotatabl journaled in the head 42 and diametrica 1y disposed with respect to the axis thereof are two sheaves 91 and 92 (Fig. 3) aligned with the tubular arms 44 and 45, respectively, the sheave 92 being rovided to balance the sheave 91 dynamically. It will be noted that the sheaves 91 and 92 are also aligned with a central bore 93 formed in the trunnion 39.

Positioned above the trunnion 39 and carried' by the yoke 46 is a capstan 104 having a plurality of peripheral rooves (Figs. 3 and 4), the inner one of w ich is in alignment with the axis of the central bore 93 of the trunnion '39. Associated with the capstan 104 is an idler roller 105 having a plurality of peripheral grooves cooperating.

with the peripheral grooves of the capstan 104 to receive the twisted strand as it is withdrawn from'the tubular arm 44. Disposed above the capstan 104 and carried by the yoke 46 is a strand distributing device 106 which is employed to distribute the twisted strand upon a take-up reel 107 removably mounted u on the yoke 46. Suitable gearing (not s own) is, provided for driving the capstan 104 at asurface s eed which is less than the surface speed 0 the capstan 74. The purpose of this construe tion will become apparent from the following description of the operation of the apparatus.

58 aligned therewith and through the aper-' tures 62 in the plate 60. The cotton core and the tinsel served threads are then guided by thesheave 81 to the grooved roller 85 which delivers them to the capstan 74. After one or two turns of the, cotton .core and the tin sel served threads have bcenwrapped around the capstan 74, they arethreaded around the grooved roller-86 which guides them to the sheave 82 from which they are passed downwardly through the tube 78, the helical spring 90 the flier arm 44, around the sheave 91' andthen upwardly through the central bore 93 of the trunnion 39 to the capstan 104, After several .turns of the cotton core have been wrapped around the capstan 104 and the associated grooved roller 105, they are guided to the take-up reel 107 by-the distributing mechanism 106. The motor 24 is then connected to any suitable source (not shown) of electrical energy, thereby continuously driving the shaft 23. The shaft 30 is operatively connected to the shaft 23 by means of suitable mechanism (not shown) which may be similar to that described in the above mentioned copending application.-

Rotation of the shaft 30 is transmitted through the gears 32 to 37 inclusive to rotate the flier 43 in a clockwise direction, the gears 32, 34 and 36 serving to drive the upper head ofthe flier, and the gears 33, 35 and 37 serving to drive the lower head thereof. Rotation of the flier 43 is transmittedto the tubular member 7 O and the wisting member 80 through the gears 64, 65, 68 and 69 (Fig. 2). As hereinbefore described, the ratio between these gears is such that the tubular member 70 together with the twisting member makes two complete revolutions for each revolution of the flier 43. Furthermore, the construction is such that the direction of rotation of the twisting member 80 is the same as that of the flier 43. It is obvious therefore that the twisting member 80 will form two complete twists in the cot- -ton core and the tinsel .served threads for each revolution of the flier 43.

The capst'ah 74 is driven from the trunnion 38 through the gears 64, 65, 76 and 75. 'As hereinbefore described, the ratio between these gears is such that'the capstan 74 travels at a speed which is slightly greater than the speed of the flier 43 and slightly less than the speed of the twisting member 80. It is obvious therefore that each revolution of the flier will cause a portion of the twisted strand to be applied onthe upper portion of the capstan '74 by the grooved roller while another portion of the strand is advanced by the capstan 74 to the grooved roller 86, from which it is drawn by the lower capstan 104, over the pulley 82, through the tube 78, through the tubular member 90, etc., as hereinbefore described. 1 Due to the capstan 74 being driven at a slightly faster speed than the capstan 104, as, hereinbefore described, it is. apparent that the capstan 74 "will tend to advance the strand to the roller 86 slightly faster than it is withdrawn therefrom by the capstan 104. This arrangement, obviously, tends to introduce a certain amount of slack in the strand between the capstan 74 and 104.

' However, since only one or two turns of the strand are'wrapped around the capstan 74,

the strandis permitted to slip around this capstan as the tension thereon decreases, thereby serving to maintain the tension on the strand between the two capstans substantially constant. The double capstan arrangement also decreases the amount of ten sion on the strand as it is advanced through the apparatus since it eliminates binding to 1. In strand twisting apparatus, strand twisting means, strand take-up means, a r0- tatable member interposed therebetween for rotating a portion of the strand bodily around an axis of rotation, means interposed between the member and the twisting means for advancing the strand throu h thetwisting means, and means operated lndepenclently of said take-up means interposed between the rotatable member and the take-up means and for advancing the strand through the rotatable member.

' 2. In strand twisting apparatus, strand twisting means, strand take-up means, a tubular member for guiding the strand from the twisting means to the take-up means, a capstan interposed between the twisting means and the member for advancing the second capstan interposed between the mema certain extent, thereby decreasing the fricber and the take-up means for advancing the strand through the member. I

3.1m strand twisting apparatus. strand twisting means comprising a rotatable member carrying a plurality of grooved'rollers for guiding the strand, strand take-up means, a tubular member interposed between the twisting means and the take-up means for guiding the strand to the take-up means. means for rotating the member to rotate a portion of the strand bodily aroundan axis of rotation coinciding with that of the twisting means, a capstan interposed between the twisting means and the tubular member for advancing the strand through the twisting means, and a second capstan interposed be.

tween the member and the take-up means for advancing the strand through the member.

4. In strand twisting apparatus, strand twisting means, strand take-up means, a. ro-

tatable member interposed therebetween for rotating a portion of the strand bodily around an axis of rotation other than that of the take-up means, means interposed between i the member and the twisting means for advancing the strand through the twisting means and means operated independently of said take-up means for advancing the strand through the rotatable member.

5. In strand twisting apparatus, strand twisting means, strand take-up means, a rotatable member interposed therebetween for rotating a portion of the strand bodily around an axis of rotation, and means interposed between the rotatable member and the take-up means for advancing the strand through the member and delivering it to the take-up means.

6. In strand twisting apparatus, strand twisting means, strand take-up means, a rotatable guide member interposed theiebetween for rotating a portionof the. strand around an axis of rotation, a capstan'interposed between the twisting means and the member for advancing the-strand throu h the twistin means and delivering it to tie guide member, and a second capstan interposed bctween the guide member and the take-up means and driven at a lower surface speed than the first capstan for advancing (the strand through the guide member and delivering it to the take-up means.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 13th 'day of January A. D., 1926.

THOMAS EDWARD ODONNELL. 

